1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an oven or range door, and more specifically to a locking assembly that keeps the door attached to the cooking chamber when the assembly is locked and allows for removal of the door when the assembly is unlocked.
2. Description of the Related Art
The general construction of ovens and ranges is well known in the art. Typically, an oven or range includes a cooking chamber with a door for access to the chamber. The chamber is basically square or rectangular in shape, with opposed top and bottom walls, opposed side walls and a back wall opposite an opening. The opening is closed and opened by a door that is basically the same square or rectangular shape as the back wall. Usually the door is attached to the cooking chamber along the bottom edge and pivots about this horizontal axis between open and closed positions.
There are several configurations for attaching a door to a cooking chamber, basically providing either a permanently attached door or a removable door. In the first instance, the door may be attached by an arm that pivots about an elongate pin on the chamber. For example, an arm may be located along both sides of the bottom edge of the door and encircle a pin that spans approximately the width of the chamber. Or, a typical door hinge configuration
More typically, oven doors are removable from the cooking chamber. This can be accomplished with several configurations, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,040,732; 3,015,125; 3,072,117 and 3,677,259. One arrangement consists of a slotted hanger attached to the door that is hooked on a pin attached to the chamber, allowing the door to hang on the chamber. In this configuration disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/053,721, the door pivots and the hanger remains stationary.
Unfortunately, when a door is permanently attached to the cooking chamber, it is often difficult to access the interior of the chamber for cleaning or repair. However, a door that is not permanently attached, is, of course, not as secure to the chamber as one that is permanently attached. Therefore, it is desirable to have a removable door that can be securely locked to the cooking chamber and unlocked and removed as desired, especially one consisting of a simple construction.